Coordinated by local police and fire fighters, the Pink Heals Tour—a multi-city fund-raising event for women’s cancer awareness—stopped in Miami last week for its inaugural Paint the Town Pink fund-raiser at Waxy’s on the River on Thursday night. The Florida leg of the tour began on September 14 in Jacksonville before heading to Miami for Thursday’s party, which attracted more than 150 people. There was also an upscale party for local politicians at the Fontainebleau on Wednesday night.
"We tried to do two different events," said event co-chair Michelle Steele. "I wanted to have something more fun for our guys and something a bit more appropriate for our local politicians as well." Steele added that firefighters made up nearly half the attendees at the Waxy's party.
During the day, the tour’s signature pink fire trucks stopped at the University of Miami’s Coral Gables campus and Sylvester Cancer Center, as well as Dadeland Mall, for smaller fund-raising events before heading to Waxy’s. About an hour after arrivals, fire boats from the City of Miami and Dade County fire departments took part in a Battle of the Fire Boats display in which the two vessels sprayed pink foam at one another on the Miami River.
In keeping with the theme, Waxy’s provided pink cocktails throughout the night, along with passed hors d’oeuvres like mini Sheppard’s pie, flat breads, and conch fritters. A portion of the night’s beverage sales, along with monies raised via the night’s raffle and silent and live auctions, will be donated to the local chapter of the American Cancer Society.
Fire Brigade, a rock band of Miami-Dade fire fighters, performed throughout the night on a small stage inside the bar.
Steele estimates the event raised $3,000 through its drink ticket and raffle sales and a total of more than $20,000 from all of the events around South Florida. The tour headed to Naples on Saturday and will continue up the west coast of Florida before the state leg wraps ups up in Tallahassee on Friday.
